NFU Applauds America’s Family Farmers and Ranchers for Their Role in Addressing Global Hunger

WASHINGTON (November 1, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson today applauded the nation’s two million family farmers and ranchers who on average feed 155 people and supports 24 million jobs in the United States.

“While we’ve made great strides in addressing world hunger over the last few decades, we still have a long way to go,” said Johnson. “And with the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, we need to remember to thank family farmers and ranchers for the bounty they provide and support policies that will help them to continue to increase their productivity.”

Johnson pointed out that to feed our rapidly growing world population, farmers will have to raise more food in the next 50 years than has been raised in the last 10,000 years combined. And statistics show that roughly 805 million people – or one ninth of the world’s population – struggle with hunger on a daily basis.

Johnson noted that a key to the success of the American food production system is the family farm, a proven model for stability and sustained productivity that can be emulated by the rest of the world.

“Their commitment to the land they work and to sustainable food production practices are just two of the reasons why family farms are often more productive than those of large industrial agriculture operations,” said Johnson. “And since family farms represent 98 percent of all farming households worldwide, the key to feeding the global population is to provide a fair playing field and fair markets for family farmers and ranchers.”

Johnson noted that NFU is committed to fighting for fair farm policies and to identifying and training beginning farmers to replace those who are retiring. “NFU’s Beginning Farmer Institute is an example of how organizations here and abroad can identify, train and empower new farmers,” said Johnson. “Our model can certainly be used by others here in the U.S. and abroad.”

National Farmers Union has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership.